


18th Hole

by lasairfhiona



Category: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-30
Updated: 2011-12-30
Packaged: 2017-10-28 13:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasairfhiona/pseuds/lasairfhiona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a round of golf, a serious discussion, and decisions made</p>
            </blockquote>





	18th Hole

Lt. Commander Chip Morton sank his final putt for his third birdie on the course, then watched, holding the flag, as Lee finished his game. It was a rare day when both the commanding officers of the Seaview had a day off together. Handing the flag to Lee, he asked, "So who won?" as Lee replaced the flag.

Lee shrugged as he shouldered his bag, "I don't know. I wasn't keeping score."

Looking at him in disbelief, Chip asked, "You weren't keeping score? I play the best round I've played in years and you weren't keeping score?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Laughing, Lee reassured him, "Don't worry, Chip, I made sure I wrote down the holes you birdied."

"Gee, thanks," Chip answered sarcastically. "What about your score?" he asked as they fell into step and walked toward the clubhouse carrying their bags.

"No."

Chip stopped and looked at Lee. "You drag me out onto the course when I could have been at the beach house in bed, make me schelpp my own bag over 18 holes instead of using a cart, and then don't bother keeping score. Lee, this isn't like you. What's going on?" He was concerned, this wasn't like Lee. They usually competed to get the best score with the loser buying a round or two of drinks at the very least at the clubhouse but usually the stakes were much higher.

Turning to look at Chip, Lee dropped his bag off his shoulder, knowing his friend wouldn't go anywhere until his question was answered. "Nothing. I just needed to work off some stress and I just wanted to be outside in the sunshine after being cooped up on the Seaview for the last few months."

"Lee, are you okay?" Chip asked. Lee sounded as if he was tired of life at sea. "Is there anything I should know about?"

Shaking his head, Lee reshouldered his bag of clubs and headed toward the clubhouse parking lot and their car.

Chip followed silently, knowing he wouldn't get anything out of his friend until Lee was ready to talk. "You didn't answer my question," he said calmly after they stowed their bags in the backseat of his convertible.

"Let's go for a walk around the lake," Lee suggested, once again avoiding Chip's question. He headed toward the trail, back the same direction they had just come from, leaving Chip to follow. Once they were on the wood chip covered trail, Lee finally spoke again. "Have you ever thought about leaving Seaview?" he asked.

"No, never," Chip answered, then asked, even more concerned about Lee's mood, "You're not thinking of leaving are you?"

Ignoring Chip's question, Lee asked, "Why not? Don't you want your own command? Your own boat?"

Realizing he wouldn't get the answers he wanted until he played twenty questions with Lee, he decided to play along. "I have the boat I want. I have the command I want. You and the Admiral go off and leave me in command of Seaview. You trust me to do what needs to be done for the mission, the boat, the men. Did you ever trust your XO like that when you were regular Navy?"

Lee shook his head. "No. But then I didn't have the history with them that I have with you," he said men-tioning their shared past for the first time in a long time.

"True," Chip admitted. "John Phillips didn't treat me like you do either. I was strictly the XO with him. He never consulted me or discussed courses of action either. If I'm overstepping, tell me, but I feel that I am more than 'just the XO' with the Seaview."

"You are," Lee said quietly as they continued to walk.

"Lee, answer my question," Chip demanded, putting his hand on Lee's arm and stopping him.

Turning back to look at Chip, Lee took his time answering. "No, I'm not thinking of leaving Seaview, but I'm tired. This last cruise was hard on me."

Nodding, Chip understood, probably better than anyone except maybe the admiral. Lee had killed a member of the crew while he was under the influence of the experimental air. He knew that weighed heavily on Lee's mind -- almost as heavily as when he'd had to watch D'alveraz kill Farrell. He never asked because he knew Lee would never talk to him about those times, preferring instead to keep them bottled inside. There would be times when Lee would knock on his cabin door in the middle of the night he never said a word, never spilled what was on his mind, he would just let himself be held by his best friend. Many times they end up curled up in Chip's bunk with him holding Lee. Neither one of them ever took advantage of their long relationship. They had been able to pass from friends to lovers and back to friends without losing anything but the sexual aspect. Chip knew Lee came to him because of their history and because he was 'safe'. "Why don't you take some leave? Go up to the mountains and go hiking. Go visit your mother and let her fuss over you," he suggested.

Lee sat down on a bench situated in a secluded spot and looked out over the lake. "No, she'll ask too many questions I don't want to answer. Can't answer. You and the Admiral are the only ones I can talk to who understand."

He knew what it took Lee to admit what he just had. Lee Crane didn't admit a weakness. It was one of the reasons the crew respected him so much. The Admiral was the same way. Both men were cut from the same cloth. It was also why Chip stayed at NIMR instead of going back to the regular Navy and vying for his own command. When the danger of the work they did became too much, both Lee and the Admiral needed someone to confide in -- Chip was the person they both felt they could come to if it got to be too much. Sitting down next to Lee, he put his hand on Lee's thigh. "Come with me back to the beach house. You can swim, sail, and relax in the sun," Chip suggested, squeezing the muscled thigh under his hand.

Lee seemed to think for a moment before placing his hand over Chip's, lacing their fingers together. "I'd like that," he said then laughed. "It will almost be like old times."

Chip smiled. "Yeah, almost."

Lee gave Chip's hand a squeeze. "Lets go. I hear a lounge chair with my name on it calling me," he said getting up and pulling Chip to his feet.

Laughing, Chip teased, "Now that's the Lee Crane I know."

"And know me you do," Lee said smiling, tugging Chip closer until their bodies were pressed together.

Chip knew the kiss was coming and it was as if he'd come home again. It didn't matter that they had shared a platonic bed to hold Lee through many a night to keep the nightmares at bay, but it had never gone any further since their relationship ended years ago. Until today. But now, across the lake from the 18th hole, they kissed and it was as if the years drifted away and everything they had felt for each other back then came rushing back.

Lee pulled back, giving him, some space. "Just like old times," he said smiling, cupping Chip's cheek.

Chip turned his head and gently kissed Lee's palm. "Let's go," he echoed Lee's earlier words. He wasn't about to waste a bit of the time off he had with Lee. As they walked back the way they came, a little hap-pier and a little closer together, Chip looked over at the 18th hole and smiled. The conversation that started there wasn't a happy one, but it ended better than he ever could have imagined.

**Author's Note:**

> I know nothing about golf so forgive any errors


End file.
